JAKARTA ~

The government has decided to stop sending Indonesian migrant workers to 21 countries in the Middle East as part of a policy to protect workers of the informal sector who are mostly women.

Speaking at a conference on Monday, Minister of Manpower Muhammad Hanif Dhakiri said that the execution of two Indonesian migrant workers, Siti Zaenab and Karni, in Saudi Arabia was one of the factors taken into consideration while making the policy decision.

“The situation concerning our migrant workers, who were working as domestic helpers, has led to many problems such as those related to labor norms and human rights violation,” he noted.

The minister recognized that migrant workers in Middle Eastern countries had insufficient protection, especially when you take into account the local culture that further complicates the protection measures.

“According to the law, the government has the right to stop the placement of migrant workers in particular countries if it is believed that their employment will degrade human values and the dignity of the nation,” Dhakiri stated.

The Indonesian government will no longer send migrant workers from the domestic sector to 21 countries in the Middle East. These are Algeria, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Iraq, Iran, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Mauritania, Egypt, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Qatar, South Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, the United Arab Emirates, Yemen and Jordan.

Furthermore, the minister pointed out that they were forced to being into effect “the hard policy” in the Middle Eastern countries due to the presence of a culture where employers have stronger rights than labor agreements and regulations.

“This culture often leads to migrant workers becoming highly dependent on their employers. It also weakens their position, their working condition and lives,” he explained.

Many of the workers cannot go home because their employers forbid them or transfer them to other employers.

In addition, indications of human trafficking between countries in the Middle East were also one of the reasons behind the implementation of this policy.

Besides deciding to no longer send domestic workers to 21 Middle Eastern countries, Indonesia will also tighten their placement in the Asia-Pacific region, Manpower Minister M. Hanif Dhakiri said.

“The policy was made because in terms of protection, the welfare of workers in the Asia-Pacific region and civility towards them is still better than in the Middle East,” he stated.

He stressed that the government will only tighten their placement, not stop sending domestic workers to the Asia-Pacific region. This is keeping in mind indications that the welfare of migrant workers is better taken care of in the region and that countries there are more democratic and prioritize manpower regulations.

In general, domestic workers in the Asia-Pacific region are paid decently, except those placed in Malaysia.

“However, in the near future, the government will seek to increase the pay Indonesian domestic migrant workers receive in that country to ensure better civility, security and welfare,” he affirmed.